We have all experienced a sleepless night at some point, tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep but just not being tired, yet etc…
For many people, especially teenagers a lot of these sleep disturbances are the norm. Specifically neurodiverse teenagers appear to be disproportionately affected by a number of issues related to their sleep. Sleep problems are already common in adolescents overall (up to 16%), but even more likely to occur in neurodiverse adolescents. Up to 55% of young people with ADHD have been found to experience sleeping problems including sleep phase delays.
What looks like a typical teenager just going to sleep too late and then not getting out of bed in some cases can actually be a biological issue affecting their circadian rhythm.
What’s the Circadian Rhythm?
It is well known that the circadian rhythm is what regulates our sleep. It’s what makes us tired in the evening and wake up in the morning. Our “internal clock”.
But more than that it regulates our appetite, hormone levels, digestion and temperature to adapt to the changing environmental conditions over a 24h period.
With sleep phase delays the body’s internal clock is off, sometimes by several hours. This means that the affected person may try to go to sleep at a conventional time, but their body is not yet ready to sleep. They are not tired, yet, and their brains are still alert, like most people would be in the afternoon.
On the other side in the morning, they are not yet ready to wake up, making them tired, fatigued, drowsy and unhappy.
While a late bedtime is not uncommon in young people, sleep phase delays are very different!
| Sleep Phase Delay | Bedtime Procrastination |
|---|---|
| – trying to go to sleep at a conventional time is often unsuccessful – they may use electronics to “pass the time” but removing them doesn’t help them sleep – they will not get sleepy at conventional times | – they delay going to sleep at a conventional time in favour of other activities – they may use electronics for entertainment but usually fall asleep quickly if they are removed – they may be sleepy, but ignore it |
Being affected by sleep phase delays is not the end of the world! Understanding and support is key and there are many different things that can be done to support them.
One simple thing to do is to start building healthy bedtime routines. This can over time “train” the body when it is time to sleep. Removing electronics and artificial light a while before conventional bedtime may also help, as these are known to affect the circadian rhythm negatively.
A doctor may also be able to help. There are several interventions, including carefully timed melatonin and some light therapies that may help!
Sleep is incredibly important for young people’s mental health, well-being, ability to engage in everyday life and physical health. Helping them build healthy habits is super important!